Heat transfer apparatus



9, 1935. R J, QTT ET AL 2,007,838

HEAT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed NOV. 8, 1934 Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nan-r TRANSFER APPARATUS Roy J. Scott and Lloyd E. Scott, Canton, Ohio Application November 8, 1934, Serial No. 752,072

' 8- Claims. (01. 257-,263)

The invention relates generally to heat transfer apparatus and more particularly to a separable fin construction which may be quickly applied to or detached from pipes carrying a heating or a cooling medium.

The present improved apparatus is particularly applicable to refrigerating apparatus for increasing the effective cooling area thereof, although it may be applied to heating apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention.

We are aware that it is old to provide separable cooling fins in a refrigerating apparatus for increasing the heat transfer between the pipes carrying the refrigerant and the air surrounding the same. However, in all prior constructions of which we are aware, the means for clamping the fin members in position on the pipes have presented numerous and serious difficulties.

In certain of these prior constructions the fin members are clamped in position by means mounted directly on the fin members, and the clamping means consequently interferes with the circulation of the air passing over and around the fins so as to reduce the heat transferring efiiciency thereof.

Moreover, in such prior constructions the clamping means tend to break or become loosened, due to the expansion and contraction of the fin members.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved separable fin construction for a heat transfer apparatus, said fin construction including a hub for fitting around a pipe containing the fluid medium, and having clamping means located on said hub.

Another object is to provide a separable fin construction having a hub for fitting around a pipe containing the fluid medium, said hub having a'tapered outer surface and clamping means encircling the hub and having a tapered inner surface for conforming to the tapered outer surface of said hub.

A further object is to provide a separable fin construction having a central hub for enveloping and conforming in contour to a portion of a pipe containing the fluid medium, said hub being adapted to abut the surface of the next adjacent .fin on the pipe for spacing the fins at proper intervals.

Another object is to provide a separable fin construction having a central hub for fitting around a pipe containing the fluid medium and having clamping means engaging the hub around substantially its entire periphery.

A still further object is to provide-improved clamping means for a separable fin construction, which clamping means is adapted to expand and contract to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the fin or fluid medium pipe.

And finally, it is an object of the present in- B vention to embody all of the foregoing advantages in a simple and inexpensive construction, which is adapted to be quickly and easily applied to or removed from the pipes of a heat transfer apparatus after they have been installed.

These and other objects are accomplished by the improvements comprising the present invention, which may be stated in general terms as including separable fin members having outwardly extending hub portions for substantially l5 completely encircling a pipe containing a refrigerant and adapted for having their outer ends abut the next adjacent fin on the pipe for spacing the fins apart, said hub portions having their outer surfaces tapered to form a hub having in- 20 creasing thickness from its outer end toward the fin, and means for clamping the fin around the refrigerant pipe, said clamping means including interlocking members encircling the hub and engaging the same around substantially its entire 25 periphery, said interlocking members having tapered inner surfaces for wedge-fitting the tapered surfaces of the hub, and said interlocking members being provided with means for imparting resiliency thereto and for permitting expansion and contraction thereof in interlocked position.

In the drawing forming part hereof Figure 1 is a front elevational view of one of the improved separable fins clamped around a pipe for containing refrigerant, the pipe being shown in cross section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2, Fig. 40 Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of one of the interlocking clamping members; and

Fig. '4 is a general view of a portion of a refrigerating apparatus, showing a plurality of the improved fins applied to the refrigerant-containing pipes thereof.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The improved fin construction preferably includes separable identical fin members l0,which are adapted to fit around a pipe I l containing a fluid medium, which may be a refrigerant. The fin members H) are preferably of aluminum, and may be slightly tapered from a minimum thickness at their outer edges to a maximum thickness at their hub portions, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Each fin member In is provided with an outwardly extending central hub portion II for encircling and conforming to the contour of pipe I I. When the fin members are positioned around the pipe ll, their hub portions l2 substantially completely envelop a portion of the pipe ll so as to provide a maximum area for effecting heat transfer between the pipe II and the fin.

The hub portions 12 extend outwardly preferably at right angles to the plane of the fins II! a distance equal to the desired spacing between adjacent fins on the pipe II. In other words, the outer ends of the hub portions 12 are adapted to abut the next adjacent fin on the pipe so as to properly space apart adjacent fins.

The hub portions have their outer surfaces l3 tapered to form a hub having increasing thickness from its outer end toward the fin, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The improved means for clamping the separable fin members In around the pipe ll preferably includes interlocking clamping members H which may be of aluminum and are adapted to completely encircle the hub. Each member II is provided with tapered inner surfaces l5 for conforming to the tapered outer surfaces l3 of the hub portions l2, and for wedge-fitting the same when the members ll are interlocked around the hub.

Each member H is preferably substantially semi-circular in form, and has at one end a lug I'I projecting angularly outward and rearwardly therefrom, and at its other end a hook portion l8 projecting angularly outward and forwardly therefrom. The hook portion l8 of each clamping member I! is adapted to hook over and engage behind the lug portion I! of the other clamping member l4, so that in interlocked position the tapered inner surfaces 15 of the members ll substantially completely encircle and wedge-fit around the hub portions I! which encircle the pipe H.

When it is desired to assemble the improved fin construction on the refrigerant pipe I I, the clamping members I4 are first applied to the pipe by first placing one member I 4 around the pipe, then placing the other clamping member I! around the pipe in front of the first member I4, and then sliding the second member ll longitudinally of the pipe into interlocked position with the first clamping member, that is, with the hook I8 of each member hooked over the lug I! of the other member. The separable fin members are then placed around the pipe with their hub portions l2 encircling the same, and the interlocked members Il may then be forced longitudinally of the pipe over the hub portions until they wedge-fit tightly around the hub portions and securely lock the fin members in place around the pipe.

After the first improved fin is clamped on the pipe in the above manner, other fins may be successively clamped thereon each fin abutting the other ends of the hub portions of the next preceding fin, so that the fins are all spaced apart at equal intervals. As shown in Fig. 4, the fluid medium pipes of the heat transfer apparatus may be spaced laterally so that the fins on the several pipes overlap each other to some extent.

In order to impart resiliency to the interlocking clamping members H to aid in positioning them around the hub portions, and in order to permit expansion and contraction of the interlocking clamping members 14 in clamped position, each member II is provided with a flexing portion 20 between its lug l1 and its hook It. This flexing portion 20 may be in the form of a hump or loop as shown in the drawings.

When the fin members ID are clamped in position around the pipe ii, any expansion or contraction of the pipe or the hub portions 12 of the fin members due to changes in temperature is taken up or compensated for by the fiexing portions 20, without affecting the clamping action of the members I3. Thus the interlocking clamping members 14 will remain tightly wedged upon the hub portions l2 regardless of expansion and contraction of the pipe or of the hub portions, and the resiliency imparted by the flexing portions 20 will also prevent any breakage of the clamping members due to such expansion and contraction.

Since the improved clamping means is located on the hub of the fin, the circulation of air around the fin proper is not interfered with, so that maximum heat transferring efficiency is obtained.

The separable fin members are firmly and positively clamped on and around the fluid medium pipe, because the hub portions substantially completely encircle the pipe and conform thereto and the improved clamping means encircles the hub and engages the same around substantially its entire periphery.

The improved fin construction may be quickly and easily clamped on or unclamped from a pipe of a heat transfer apparatus after it has been installed, by moving the interlocking clamping members longitudinally of the pipe relative to each other so as to engage or disengage the lugs II from the hooks l8.

Obviously, the improved fin construction is equally well adapted for use in connection with either heating or cooling apparatus, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In heat transfer apparatus having a pipe carrying a fluid medium, fin construction including separable fin members each having an outwardly extending hub portion, said hub portions being adapted for substantially completely enveloping and encircling a portion of said pipe, said hub portions having their outer surfaces tapered to form a hub increasing in thickness from its outer end toward the fin members, and means for clamping the fin members around said pipe, said clamping means including interlocking members for encircling the hub and engaging the same around substantially its entire periphery, said interlocking members having tapered inner surfaces for conforming to and wedge-fitting the tapered surfaces of the hub portions, and said interlocking members being provided with means permitting expansion and contraction thereof in clamped position.

2. In heat transfer apparatus having a pipe carrying a fluid medium, fin construction including separable fin members each having an outwardly extending hub portion, said hub portions being adapted for substantially completely enveloping and encircling a portion of said pipe, said hub portions having their outer surfaces tapered to form a hub increasing in thickness from its outer end toward the fin members, and means for clamping the fin members around said pipe, said clamping means includes interlocking members for encircling the hub and engaging the same around substantially its entire periphery, and said interlocking members having tapered inner aooaaaa surfaces for conforming to and wedge-fitting the tapered surfaces of the hub portions.

3. In heat transfer apparatus ha a pipe carrying a fluid medium, fin construction including separable fin members each having an outwardly extending hub portion, said hub portions being adapted for substantially completely enveloping and encircling a portion of said pipe, said hub portions having their outer surfaces tapered to form a hub increasing in thicmes from its outer end toward the fin members, and means for clamping the fin members around said pipe, said clamping means including interlocking members for encircling the hub and engaging the same around substantiallyits entire periphery.

4. In heat transfer apparatus having a pipe carrying a fluid medium, fin construction including separable fin members each having an outwardly extending hub portion, said hub portions being adapted for substantially completely enveloping and encircling a portion of said pipe, said hub portions having their outer surfaces tapered to form a hub increasing in thickness from its outer end toward the fin members, and clamping means having tapered surfaces engaging the tapered surfaces of the hub for clamping the fin members around the pipe.

5. In heat transfer apparatus having a pipe carrying a fluid medium, fin construction including separable fin members each having an outwardly extending hub portion, said hub portions being adapted for substantially completely enveloping and encircling a portion of said pipe, said hub portions having their outer surfaces tapered to form a hub increasing in thickness from its outer end toward the fin members, and clamping means he tapered surfaces engaging the tapered surfaces oi the hub for clamping the fin M 1'- around the pipe, the outer end of said hub being adapted to abut an adjacent fin on said pipe for spacing the fins at intervals.

' 6. Fin construction including separable fin mem forming a hub adapted for fitting around a pipe and having a tapered outer surface, and a means including interlocking members provided with tapered inner surfaces for conforming to said tapered outer surface of the hub.

7. Pin construction including separable members for a hub for fitting around a pipe and having a tapered outer surface, clamping means including interlocking members for engaging the hub around substantially its entire periphery and provided with tapered. inner surfaces for confog to said tapered outer surface of said hub, said interlocking members each having a flexing portion for permitting expansion and contraction thereof in clamped position.

8. Fin construction including separable members forming a hub for fitting around a pipe. and clamping means including interlocking members adapted to engage said hub around substantially its entire periphery, said interlocking members each having a flexing portion for permitting expansion and contraction thereof in clamped position.

, ROY J. SCOTT.

LLOYD E. SCO'I'I. 

